Typically, payment transactions and delivery of electronic merchandise (also known as “e-merchandise”; the terms are used interchangeably herein) are handled by separate infrastructures. For example, a payment transaction may be conducted using a payment card or other payment device, together with an infrastructure that handles only the payment. Similarly, delivery of e-merchandise (for example, electronic tickets, tokens, digital credentials, movies, music, loyalty points, benefit coupons, vouchers, data, a cryptographic key or “unlock” code, and similar non-physical items) is handled by a separate, perhaps complimentary, infrastructure which may invoke the payment infrastructure in order to charge for the goods as a separate process.
Netherlands Patent Application No. NL9301902, published Jun. 1, 1995, of Nederland PTT, discloses a method for the acquisition of the right to a specific facility by means of a smart card. The acquisition of the right is performed via a terminal and a control system. The right to the facility can be an access or a usage right. A smart card or other registration device is used to aid the access. The smart card is used not only to pay for the required facility, but as a registration and validation means to replace paper tickets. Thus, the same smart card can be used for the purchase of the right to a future facility, for the payment thereof, and for the subsequent use of the facilities, that is, the exercise of the purchased right.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,084 of Stanford et al., issued Apr. 23, 2002, describes card charging systems. A host ticket facility is operable by both credit cards usable at a card read/write device and concessionary payment cards usable at a contactless card reader, and a security and transaction device located between the card readers and the host facility stores in separate storage devices full fares and concessionary fares which the host facility is able to calculate. A card charging system is described, having one or more card readers and a security and transaction device connected between the card readers and a host facility for transmitting information back to a clearing center. U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,038 of Stanford et al., issued Jun. 11, 2002, appears to be similar to the Stanford et al. '084 reference just described.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,477 of Hohle et al., issued Aug. 8, 2000, discloses methods and apparatus for a travel-related multi-function smart card. In one embodiment, the smart card system includes a card holder identification application and various additional applications useful in particular travel contexts, for example, airline, hotel, rental car and payment-related applications. Memory space and security features within specific applications provide partnering organizations, such as airlines, hotel chains, and rental car agencies, the ability to construct custom and secure file structures.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/049258 of Piikivi, published Mar. 9, 2006, discloses a wireless communication device providing a contactless interface for a smart card reader. A wireless terminal including a smart card application host, such as a contact smart card or the terminal or a terminal security component, and including a terminal interface, and also including a smart card router that enables RF communication with a contactless card reader in a ticketing system is provided. The smart card application host does not contain a contactless interface. The smart card router includes an RF antenna, separate from and external to the smart card application host, as well as a modulator/demodulator and a card access module and router for routing communication traffic arriving via the RF antenna to either the smart card application host or to the terminal interface, based on information included in the arriving communication traffic.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0147907 of Ross, published Oct. 10, 2002, is directed to a system for authorizing transactions using specially formatted smart cards. The transaction system includes the use of a fixed data structure that allows multiple point-of-sale systems to recognize and access a transaction card regardless of upper-level user interfaces. The smart card includes a memory with a defined data file structure, and the data file structure includes at least one read-only field, at least one encrypted read/write field, and at least one non-encrypted read/write field. The smart card can be utilized in a transaction system and the smart card authorization device interacts with a defined data file structure provided on the smart card.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2001/0018660 of Sehr, published Aug. 30, 2001, is directed to an electronic ticketing system and methods utilizing multi-service visitor cards. A plurality of entities are encompassed, such as an event organizer, admission center, service providers and a visitor population, so as to automatically compile, issue, utilize and process ticketing cards for the admission to leisure and entertainment events, and for other card-based entitlements. The portable ticketing cards are realized by smart credit and/or debit card technology and have the ability to store in the card a computerized ticket template or electronic credit points, or to deduct from the card a monetary value or award points previously loaded onto the card. Biometrics identification of card holders, as well as cryptographic certification of card data and database information, can optionally be encoded into the cards, and can be verified and validated at various point-of-service locations upon presentation of the card for admission and for other services.
Prior art techniques inefficiently employ separate and unlinked payment and e-merchandise (e.g., ticketing) infrastructures and transactions.
It would be desirable to overcome the deficiencies of prior art techniques.